Take your cooking to the next level by learning how to use culinary
herbs to boost the flavor quotient of your food. From basil-rich pesto
to tarragon-infused sauces, we’ve got you covered. Take a look below to
find the best culinary herbs, and learn what dishes it tastes best in;
if you should use fresh or dried; as well as recipes that star each
herb. With this handy guide to culinary herbs, cooking with herbs will
be a cinch.
Sweet basil (
Ocimum basilicum)
is the quintessential culinary herb. Its flavor evokes hot summer
nights, great platters of Caprese salad and endless bowls of
pesto-tossed linguine. But sweet basil is only part of the basil family.
This versatile plant is available in an amazing range of forms and
fragrances, from lemon and lime, to anise and cinnamon. Cooks around the
world use basil with fresh and cooked vegetables, eggs, meats, seafood
and cheese; in salads, soups and breads; and as a seasoning for vinegars
and oils. Only cook fresh basil briefly or add it as a fresh garnish to
long-simmered dishes. In some recipes, such as in pesto, dried basil
just won’t work. Otherwise, use about a third as much dried basil as you
would fresh basil. Try these basil recipes:
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Bay is an essential herb in cuisines surrounding the Mediterranean
area and is mainly used as a background flavor. Because the leaves are
tough and can withstand long cooking, bay is great for slow-cooked foods
such as stews, soups and roasts. Add a couple of bay leaves to the pot
by themselves, or bundle them up into a
bouquet garni,
a grouping of French herbs that also include thyme and parsley. Always
remove the leaves after cooking and prior to serving, as the leaves will
not soften with cooking. (Despite this, you can finely chop leaves and
add it to cheese or butters.) Bay also goes well in dishes that contain
lentils or beans, and is equally good in sweet recipes including
custards and pudding. Traditionally, people cook with dried bay leaves,
but fresh leaves lend an equally satisfying flavor. Try these bay
recipes:
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Even though this grassy-looking herb is well known for dressing up a
variety of dishes, it is more than just a simple garnish. More delicate
than scallions, chives quietly add a light garlic flavor to all manner
of our favorite foods. Thinly mince and sprinkle chives over salads,
potatoes, cheeses, sandwich spreads, dressings, omelets, dumplings,
butters, deviled eggs, mushrooms, soups, fish, poultry and most
vegetables. Because the flavor dissipates quickly when heated, chives
should be added to cooked dishes at the last minute. You can also add
snipped chives or even chive’s edible blossoms atop salads or soups for a
beautiful spread. Try these chive recipes:
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Chances are you’ve encountered this herb before and you either loved
it or hated it. The pungent leaves of cilantro add a vibrant flavor,
with a faint undertone of anise, to some of the most popular dishes in
Chinese, Mexican and Thai cooking. Cut fresh cilantro leaves and add
them to other greens to give them a distinctive cilantro flavor.
Sprinkle these versatile leaves atop Mexican favorites such as savory
guisados (stews) and
frijoles,
as well as fish and chicken dishes. Fresh cilantro tempers the fire of
chili sauces, and as such has become a popular ingredient for salsas and
spicy dips. If you’re using homegrown cilantro, don’t use leaves that
have become ferny looking, as that means the leaves have lost their
fresh flavor. If you’re buying cilantro from the grocery store, double
check the label—the leaves are often mistaken for flat-leaf parsley.
When cilantro has gone to seed, you get the spice coriander. This
culinary seed tastes of sage and lemon or orange peel, and is a
traditional seasoning in many Indian dishes. Lightly toast and grind the
seeds, then add it to curries and other spicy dishes. Ground coriander
also adds a great flavor to cooked vegetables. Only roast and grind
coriander seeds in small amounts—it can quickly become stale and lose
its fresh taste. Try these cilantro/coriander recipes:
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For many herb gardeners, dill signals the arrival of summer. Its
feathery fronds grow at breathtaking speed. Although its aroma is fairly
delicate, it loses much of it in drying or cooking, so add fresh dill
to hot dishes just before serving. A taste reminiscent of anise and
parsley, with hints of celery and citrus, fresh dill leaves complement
soft cheeses, egg dishes, chicken, salads, soups and vegetables. Fresh
dill is particularly compatible with seafood, and is a popular flavoring
in the Scandinavian dish
gravlax, a dish that features salmon
cured with salt and dill. Dill’s seeds develop later in the season and
have a stronger, more aromatic and pungent flavor. Use dill seeds in
pickling spices and breads—it especially tastes great in rye bread. Try
these dill recipes:
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You’re likely familiar with lavender’s intoxicating fragrance and
colorful flowers, but maybe you haven’t experienced its appealing taste.
From sweet to savory, a hint of lavender can enliven a recipe in
delightful ways. Its flowers, leaves and stalks are used extensively in
French, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cuisines. Use lavender to
complement rich creams, oils, butter and eggs, as well as ice cream and
baked products including cookies, shortbread and cheesecake. You can
also use it in cream soups, sauces and dressings. Lavender is a staple
in the traditional seasoning blend
herbes de Provence.
Use this herbal blend to season lamb or poultry, in a honey glaze for
pork or roasted turkey, to awaken the Provencal stewed veggie dish
ratatouille, and with roasted root vegetables. You can also combine
lavender flowers with honey or sugar to sweeten iced beverages, or add
extra flavor to baked goods
by infusing lavender buds with sugar for two weeks. Try these lavender recipes:
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Brush your fingers between the leaves of a lemon balm plant for a
wonderfully lemon-scented treat. This humble member of the mint family
is often overlooked due to its aggressive growing tendencies, but it is
an amazing addition to culinary dishes. Use the leaves to lend a light
lemoniness to tea, salads, mayonnaise, sauerkraut, jellies, cordials,
mixed fruit dishes, butters, wine, custard sauces and chilled summer
drinks, as well as in stuffings or sauces for poultry or fish. Fresh
lemon balm leaves are much tastier than dried ones, and the flowers make
a sweet, lemony last-minute garnish to desserts and fruit salads. Try
these lemon balm recipes:
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Ancient feasts concluded by chewing a sprig of mint to settle the
stomach and cleanse the breath. The refreshing taste and cooling effect
of versatile mint makes it a popular herb among chefs, even today.
Available in a range of flavors and fragrance, look for the common
spearmint and peppermint to the equally appetizing apple, chocolate,
lime, grapefruit, lemon and ginger. (Note: Do not eat pennyroyal, a
variety of min that is not safe to consume.) Peppermint and spearmint
are more readily available and most popular among chefs; use spearmint
if you want a milder mint flavor, as it is less strong than peppermint.
To give dimension to sweet and savory dishes, add chopped mint to
vegetable dishes, rich bowls, fruit or vegetable salads, and soups
(especially gazpacho). Mint is also a classic herb in lamb dishes, and
complements summer foods such as tomatoes, eggplant, squash, watermelon
and peppers. Dried mint is less assertive and commonly used in eastern
Mediterranean dishes. You can also use mint to flavor sweet dishes,
including ice cream, cakes, jellies, confectionery and liqueurs. Try
these mint recipes:
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Oregano yields luxurious flavor—the essence of Mediterranean sun and
sea. Its flavor varies greatly, so use plants that have been propagated
from cuttings, division or layering. Greek oregano (
Origanum vulgare spp.
hirtum)
is best for most culinary uses; both fresh and dried leaves and flowers
can be used, although dried is preferred for its richer and less bitter
flavor. This culinary herb highlights savory dishes in small doses, and
goes particularly well with lemon, garlic, wine, meats, fish, salads,
Greek and Italian dishes, eggplant, beans, and tomato-based sauces. Use
sparingly, as too much oregano can quickly overpower a dish. Try these
oregano recipes:
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Parsley, the little green garnish that was once just a cook’s
afterthought, bursts with nutrition. Because of its warm, gentle
flavor—with a touch of camphor—it blends well with most other flavors.
And although it may lack other herbs’ heady flavor, its mild, herbaceous
flavor is just what makes it so universal. Cook fresh parsley into
soups, stews or other water-based dishes for background flavor; sprinkle
chopped fresh parsley atop noodles, vegetables or potatoes to add that
perfect finishing touch; and snip it into sauces, butters, dressings and
just about any other savory dish for great flavor. It is also the star
of
gremolata,
an herbal garnish that tastes great over steamed or grilled veggies,
and baked potatoes. The best-tasting parsley is flat-leaf parsley,
although curly parsley keeps longer once picked. Try these parsley
recipes:
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The signature scent of the holiday season, rosemary is a classic
flavor partner for poultry, and can add a delightful note to biscuits,
dumplings and other winter treats. Its bruised leaves have a cooling
pine-like scent with mint and eucalyptus overtones. If used too
generously, its strong taste can overwhelm other flavors. Use it to
complement similarly strong flavors such as wine and garlic; to add
depth to rich meats such as lamb, pork, duck and game; and add flavor to
veggies, sausages, stuffings, soups and stews. Rosemary also has an
affinity for starchy foods such as bread, scones and potatoes. When
using rosemary in the kitchen, fresh is best—but because this herb has a
woody texture, flavor dishes with finely chop rosemary leaves.
Alternatively, use whole sprigs tied in muslin, then remove just before
serving. Although dried rosemary tastes similar to fresh, its hard
texture won’t soften with cooking. Try these rosemary recipes:
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Fresh sage is deep, robust and earthy. Its lively, almost lemony,
flavor component is most obvious in spring when its leaves are still
young; as summer approaches, sage’s flavor becomes more robust; and sage
reaches its peak flavor in autumn, when it is best known as an
ingredient in holiday dressings or stuffings. When cooking with sage,
start with a small amount and slowly increase the quantity to taste—this
herb can easily overpower a dish. Both the flowers and leaves are
edible; the flowers look attractive in salads, and the leaves are great
for cooking with and for making flavored butter and vinegar. Finely
mince leaves before adding them to dishes, as they can become rough and
chewy, or add sprigs to whatever you’re cooking, making sure to remove
them before serving. Sage mixes well with starchy, rich and fatty foods
such as duck, poultry, pork and red meat, as well as beans, eggplant,
tomato-based sauces, casseroles and soups. It also tastes great
alongside cheese. Try these sage recipes:
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Tarragon skillfully flavors a great range of foods. Available in both
French and Russian form, its Russian variety has little flavor so cook
with the French variety. Its delicate, bittersweet and peppery flavor
diffuses rapidly through cooked dishes, so use it carefully and toward
the end of cooking—a little goes a long way. It tastes great with fish
and shellfish, turkey, chicken, game, veal and egg dishes. Use chopped
leaves in salad dressings, sauces and vinaigrettes. Cooks also find
tarragon’s peppery and resinous qualities a welcome addition to rich
cheese appetizers and soufflés. Tarragon also supports other herbs
felicitously, especially the traditional
fines herbes blend. Try these tarragon recipes:
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Thyme’s scent and flavor, a complex combination of sweet and savory,
is an essential culinary herb in most cuisines. When fresh, thyme has
sharp, vegetal notes supported by strong herbaceous tones; when dried,
thyme has a much deeper flavor. To use this endearing Mediterranean
plant, simply strip the leaves off the stems with your fingertips.
They’re small enough that they should require no extra chopping. Add
full sprigs of thyme to soups, broths and poaching liquids, or stuff
handfuls of thyme sprigs inside whole roasting chickens or fish. Thyme
especially shines in slow-cooked casseroles and dishes containing meat,
poultry or game, and pairs well with many fruits. It is even the primary
herb in the classic
bouquet garni, a grouping of French herbs that also include bay and parsley. Try these thyme recipes:
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